Fig 1

Morphology and microstructure of CdS, MnO2, and 25% CdS/MnO2: (a) Synthetic route of 25% CdS/MnO2 heterostructure; (b, c) SEM and TEM images of MnO2; (d, e) SEM and TEM images of CdS; (f, g) SEM and TEM images of CdS/MnO2; (h) HRTEM image of CdS/MnO2; (i) EDS elemental mapping of CdS/MnO2."

Fig 2

(a) XRD analysis; (b) Raman analysis; (c) Nitrogen sorption isotherms, illustration: corresponding pore size distributions of the catalysts; XPS analysis: (d) survey spectrum; (e) Mn 2p; (f) O 1s; (g) Cd 3d; (h) S 2p."

Fig 3

Catalytic activity analysis: (a) Photothermal catalytic performance of x% CdS/MnO2; (b) Photothermal catalytic performance of 25% CdS/MnO2 at different temperatures; (c) Comparison of photocatalytic activity of CdS and MnO2, and the photocatalytic, thermocatalytic, and photo-thermocatalytic performance of 25% CdS/MnO2 (inset: actual temperature of 25% CdS/MnO2 after 5 min under photo-thermal conditions); (d) Catalytic performance of 25% CdS/MnO2 under different oxygen atmospheres at 150 ℃ with light irradiation; (e) Cycling stability tests; (f) Comparison of this work with previously reported systems for selective toluene oxidation."

Fig 4

(a) TGA curve of 25% CdS/MnO2; (b) Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of the samples (inset: equivalent circuit used for EIS fitting); (c) Photoluminescence (PL) spectra; (d) Transient PL decay curves; (e) DRS of MnO2, inset: estimated band gap; (f) DRS of CdS, inset: estimated band gap; (g, h) Mott-Schottky (MS) plot of MnO2 and CdS; (i) Schematic energy band diagrams of MnO2 and CdS."

Fig 5

(a) Trapping experiment of 25% CdS/MnO2; (b) DMPO-•O2− EPR spectra of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2; (c, d) TEMPO–e− EPR spectra of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2; (e, f) TEMPO-h− EPR spectra of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2."

Fig 6

(a) H2-TPR profiles of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2; (b) O2-TPD profiles of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2; (c, d) Side views of optimized MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2 structures adsorbed with O2; (e, f) Side views of charge density difference maps of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2 adsorbed with O2, with an isosurface value of 1.6 × 10−3 e Å−3 (yellow: charge accumulation; cyan: charge depletion)"

Fig 7

(a, b) UPS spectra of MnO2 and 25% CdS/MnO2; (c) Side view and (d) top view of the charge density difference of 25% CdS/MnO2 with an isosurface value of 3.2  × 10−3 e Å−3 (yellow: charge accumulation; cyan: charge depletion); (e–h) In situ XPS spectra of 25% CdS/MnO2 under light and photo-thermal conditions."

Fig 8

(a) In situ FTIR spectra of co-adsorption of O2 and toluene on 25% CdS/MnO2 under l ight irradiation; (b) Free energy profile for each intermediate alone the toluene's targeted oxidative conversion process; (c) Proposed reaction mechanism for the selective photo-thermocatalytic oxidation of toluene to benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde over 25% CdS/MnO2."